In 2021, Covestro LLC marked 50 years in Baytown, Texas, the community it has proudly called home since 1971.
On March 17, Covestro employees past and present, as well as much of the community, gathered in downtown Baytown to celebrate the company’s long legacy of success, while keeping an eye toward the future.
The celebration included distinguished speakers representing local, state and company leadership. Attendees were also invited to tour an exhibit, titled “Covestro Through the Decades: An Archive of Innovation in Baytown,” which highlighted the evolution of the site over its history.
Located 25 miles east of Houston, Covestro’s Baytown facility spans 1,700 acres, 1,100 of which encompass a greenbelt along the Cedar Bayou and Houston ship channel. With more than 1,000 employees and 750 nested contractors, Covestro’s Baytown facility represents its largest manufacturing site in North America. The raw materials manufactured in Baytown are transformed into innovative products that can be found in all areas of daily life.
The company’s legacy in Baytown goes beyond its manufacturing leadership, however. The teamwork and comradery that support the site’s safe, reliable and efficient operations can often be found in the community at large. Covestro and its employees have a rich history of giving back to the community, whether it is engaging the next generation through its “Cleaner Energy, Brighter World” exhibit at the Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Center, bringing STEM to local classrooms through the Houston Astros’ “Orbit STEM Shows,” or donating countless hours of employee volunteerism though organizations, such as the United Way of Greater Baytown and Chambers County.
“What we’ve been able to accomplish here over the past five decades speaks volumes about the talented individuals that have passed through our doors,” says Demetri Zervoudis, senior vice president and site manager at Covestro. “It’s with my deepest gratitude to each and every one of them that I look toward a bright, sustainable and safe future.”
Looking ahead, Covestro recently announced aspirations to be climate neutral by 2035, with long-term sights set on becoming fully circular. “Our site in Baytown represents Covestro’s third largest manufacturing facility in the world,” says Zervoudis. “The work we do here in Texas is critical to the company and it will be a cornerstone in the transition to more sustainable operations and ultimately a climate neutral future.”